OPINION | SA women not safe in their homes, not safe walking the streets or in social media spaces

As a woman living in SA, my daily routine is dictated by more than just work, social gatherings, or errands. It is significantly dictated by fear of “will I make it home?”. As a result, I am not the dictator of my life; instead, the world around me, shaped and dominated by men, dictates how I must live.

For instance, before I leave the house, I must make sure that my location is turned on, check in with at least two or more people, giving them details about where I am going, who I am meeting, and what I am wearing. This information serves as a distress signal in case something happens, as though my clothing, location, and/or companions should be catalogued in advance.

Again, as I move through public spaces, I must make sure to deliberately pass places with visible cameras, hoping they might deter anyone who sees me as prey, or at the very least, offer evidence if I were to disappear. In SA, this is not a unique experience; it is the daily routine and reality for many women. We live on high alert, managing our fear as much as our lives. These steps are not taken out of paranoia but out of necessity, because in a world created for men, women must constantly adapt, shrinking themselves to fit within the boundaries of a system that refuses to protect them.

This terrifying reality has become normal for many and the normalisation of such terror speaks to a much deeper global crisis. The world is becoming increasingly unsafe for women, and nowhere is this more apparent than in SA, where gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) have reached epidemic proportions.

Third-quarter crime statistics 2023/2024 report that 851 women and 45 men were victims of rape while 137 women and 17 men were sexually assaulted. This is indicative of a global crisis on women’s safety and the reality of violence. Subsequently, it reminds us that in a world designed for men, women’s safety is not a guaranteed privilege; women are not safe in their homes, not safe walking the streets or in social media spaces. 

The biggest question we ought to ask ourselves is, why? Why, in an era of supposed progress and world-class continuation are women still subjected to such high levels of violence? Why should women continue to live in fear of their lives? Why, despite all the technological advancements and justice systems, does the world remain a battleground for women’s safety?

The simple, yet complex, answer lies in a complex web of factors such as patriarchal norms, inadequate and ineffective legal and justice systems, and social complacency that allow violence to thrive. Therefore, we urgently need comprehensive solutions and efforts from all corners of society to address the scourge of violence. 

The fight against GBVF in SA is not just a social issue and law and enforcement issue. It is a phenomenon that requires addressing and shifting entrenched toxic norms and attitudes that perpetuate misogyny and entitlement over women. This fight has over the years shown us that we must look beyond the law; as a society, we ought to equally address the prevalent toxic cultural norms that perpetuate male entitlement and misogyny.

We live in a society that still socialises and teaches men and boys to believe that they have dominion over women and objectify women’s bodies. This culture is similarly prevalent in all spheres of society, as a result, we must invest in fostering a culture of consent education to shift toxic societal attitudes and norms. The media and other educational institutions must likewise invest in a quest to reshape narratives that frequently blame victims and survivors of GBV.

GBV is a horrifying reality in the nation, where those who are meant to enforce the law — both individuals and institutions — fail to do so. It is depressing that the very institutions that are supposed to protect against domestic violence are plagued by significant levels of non-compliance when it comes to reporting cases of domestic violence and offenders inside the system, in a nation that is already dealing with worrisome rates and incidents of GBV.

This further illustrates the necessity for the government to do more than make empty promises. The people who are supposed to safeguard us frequently ignore a concerning pattern and culture of violence and non-compliance. For many people, the police and the organisations they are supposed to support and safeguard have turned into re-traumatising sites.

• Magayana is a senior officer for Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office at UFS